Mathematicians and physicists are generally assumed to be of the same species, but they differ broadly in their attitude toward quantum field theory. Pysicists like it, but mathematicians do not, finding it mathematically incomplete. Folland (mathematics, U. of Washington) comes to the rescue by introducing quantum field theory (and quantum electrodynamics in particular) so mathematicians can comprehend the behavior of subatomic particles. He begins by bringing mathematicians up to speed with pre-quantum physics according to Newton, Hamilton and Lagrange. He moves to special relativity and electromagnetism, describing basic quantum mechanics (including the mathematical framework, uncertainty inequalities and the Coulomb potential), and relativistic quantum physics with the Klein-Gordon and Dirac equations, non-interacting (free) quantum fields, quantum fields with interactions (including Feynman's diagrams), renormalization, functional integrals and gauge field theories. The result is remarkably accessible, even to those not completely of the mathematical species. Annotation ©2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)